Need List

I don't want to do the "NEED LIST"! The first one to come up for my name was

Carlys needs to die!

so I quit.......

I'm going to plant flowers.....

Words for Thought

I found this in the The New Era and thought it was thought provoking. Bishop H. David Burton shared some thoughts on More and Less in today’s terms. He says “The meaning of more and less is not always crystal clear. There are times when less is in reality more and times when more can be less.” And so………

The virtues expressed in the song “More Holiness Give Me” fall into several groups.

Personal goals:
More holiness give me
More strivings within
More faith, gratitude, and purity
More fit for the kingdom
More purpose in prayer
More trust in the Lord

Some Center on Adversity:
Patience in suffering
Meekness in trial
Praise for relief
Strength to overcome
Freedom from earth stains
Longing for home

The rest firmly anchor us to our Savior:
More sense of His care
More pride in His glory
More hope in His word
More joy in His service
More tears for His sorrows
More pain at His grief
More blessed and holy
More Savior, like Thee

More of these virtues is better. Less is not desirable, but gratitude for them is desirable. What a wonderful way to look at this song the next time we sing it or look at it in the song book.

25 Plus 3

26. My favorite daughter is – oh no I’m not going there for sure.

27. My favorite grandchild is – oh sure, like I would tell that one.

28. My favorite son is Ryan of course.

My List

1. When I was a little girl I wanted to be a wife and mommy and have 12 children. The last few years we were in the military and I worked, when we moved I became an expert at delaying the job hunt for months after we moved. I always had some excuse like holidays or appointments or the cat in quarantine or looking for furniture or one car so I could stay at home and do what I thought I was supposed to be doing.
2. I have Gilbert's (Gilbre) Disease.
3. I’ve jumped out of 2 not so perfectly good airplanes.
4. I love to read. I’m a slow reader but I never give up and trudge on through even the worst of them. Sometimes I have 2or 3 books going at the same time. One upstairs, one downstairs, and maybe one I’m listening to. Until 11 years ago, a turning point in my life, I only read nonfiction. But we all know my life cannot be reality don’t we, so I will read anything now. I loved The Host and Fablehaven. Aliens and fairies. Wow!
5. My Dad was the oldest of 12 children, 8 boys and 4 girls. I love the example they family have set. I joined the Church because I believed they had every thing and here was the sealing power of the priesthood. Wonder why none of them have joined the Church.
6. One of my favorite says is “So many flavors so little time.” I’ll eat almost anything. I have a number of favorite foods such as: watermelon, tangerines, bananas, breads, Breyer’s vanilla ice cream, corn bread, fried okra, rib eye, oysters, Brazil nuts, kalua pig, haupia pudding. Hmm. I must be hungry.
7. I don’t care for Licorice or root beer.
8. I started taking clarinet in 7th grade. I moved and gave it up 3 months later.
9. I am terribly frightened of speaking in front of people. I would much rather do the work in the background and be unseen. Believe it or not I would rather take orders than give them.
10. I see the positive side of most situations and believe most people’s intentions are good. Heavenly Father loves every single one of us. I try to remember “Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.” Including me.
11. I’ve lived in 10 states, visited 38 states, and the District of Columbia. They all have something to offer. I would not live in most of them again but I would visit all of them again. I love the United States and our heritage. I love visiting historical sites and the feeling I have when I do. It would be wonderful to see the world but there is so much to see in this country that I feel connected to why leave our shores.
12. I dislike my name so very much. I guess that is why I’m so persistent about being called ‘Nana.’ 20 years ago I spent months researching to find a grandmother name I really liked just like Mothers and Fathers do looking for a name for a child.
13. I once owned a red 300 ZX T Top. I never got a ticket in that one. I did get tickets in other less flashy but not that one.
14. I’m not intimidated by the Rodgers educations. I’m honored to be associated with you and impressed by all your accomplishments and hard work. Wish I had more to offer. It was hard enough getting the approximately 60 credits I do have.
15. I worry about money. I grew up very poor so financial security has always been very important to me. I have worried less about money since retirement than I ever thought I would. We are much better off than I ever thought we would be, thanks to Richard.
16. I love sophisticated clothing. When I was thinner I loved to wear heels and skirts and dresses. I never wore a pair of shoes that cost less than $75. Now Ross is good for a $13 pair of shoes. I wear a lot of hand-me-downs now. I just wish they were from Coldwater Creek. I just hate that Regina’s friend Michelle weighs so much less than me now. Maybe I should go on a diet and stay on it.
17. I loved playing racquetball in my 30’s and 40’s. I played a lot of Men’s C leagues and even came in first in one tournament. I even beat Marines in my late 30’s. It took me a long time to get past being nice to the other player. I would hit the ball to them or pick the ball up for them. After a while it was no more nice guy.
18. I love volley ball and softball too. In 1990 I was hit in the left eye with a soft ball. I had on sunglasses and as a result had 18 stitches in my eyebrow. Klutz or the red badge of courage?
19. I have loved going to Church ever since I was a little girl and I would go by myself. I have been baptized 3 times. When I was 8, as a Baptist. When I was 18 I recommitted as a Baptist. And as Grandma Joyce would say ‘The one that really counts when I was 19.’ There has never been a time when I didn’t go.
20. Suzanne whispered in my ear as I was leaving for the honeymoon “You got everything you ever wanted.” How true.
21. I thought living with a High Priest would be easier than it is.
22. I’m so glad Wendy has developed a relationship with the Rodgers girls. She needs a sister and the Rodgers girls have enough love to include another sister.
23. I loved working on Randi’s wedding. It was the most fun I had had for a long time. I hated for it to end, hated for the decorations to come down, hated to go home. It was worse than any day after Christmas ever was. Maybe we should look into getting Raelynn married.
24. I love where I’m at in life. I cannot believe Heavenly Father has blessed me so greatly. I make a joke at church that it was living principles of the Gospel that got me in to this mess. He must love me greatly. I absolutely love being able to respond when called on. I’m not as in tune as I would like to be but it is becoming easier. I love everyone of the people related to Richard and me with all my heart. Each of ‘our’ eight children and their little ones will never know the influence for good they are in my life.
25. My testimony is the most important thing in this life to me and I don’t ever want to be caught without my temple recommend.

Rambling On

I forgot to tell you that Emily beat me at Yahtzee, Scrabble, and at Who Could Put the Puzzle Together the Fastest. It is a new game. I could defend myself with who had the puzzle with the most pieces and who had been practicing the most and who had the most kids climbing all over them but that would really sound petty so I won’t go there. I’ll just claim to be the very proud Nana of a very bright toothless 6 year old, which I am, and ask for another chance after I have practiced for a few months. Watch out for the revenge of the Ninja Nana.

A Much Loved Nana

Grumpaw let me sleep till 10:30 today (don’t tell anybody) and showered me with flowers and kisses and kindness. What else could a Nana ask for? Nothing thanks.

Ramblings of a Traveling Nana

Monday, February 2nd, Nana got up and caught a plane for SLO (San Luis Obispo) to see Ryan and Michelle and the 3 little princesses. The visit started with a beautiful drive down the 227 to their new home in Arroyo Grande (AG). Beautiful green vineyards, farms houses, and 2 lane roads. Not a long distance but a lovely ride. R&M live on the ocean side of a hill with a lovely view: daytime of the ocean, nighttime of the ‘Village’ lights below. Leave their house to the south it is a slow downgrade. Leave to the north and you have to use first gear to go down hill. I loved it. I can’t wait to go back. It was wonderful even when it was raining and we did have a good rain. The temperature was very comfortable the whole time I was there. You hear names in the area that we all long to see like Santa Maria, Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo, and Pismo Beach. We went to the beach one day and played in the sand. Lexie ate sand cookies: you know cookies with sand on them. A beautiful wide beach with swings and a pier. We went for pizza at a great little local pizzeria and had yogurt at the Yogurt Creations Ryan mentioned, and it was yummy. Emily is putting out a recipe book of her creations from the Yogurt Creations Shop. She is quite creative. (I usually am adventurous but not that adventurous.)

Right now Emily is using her incisors to eat almost everything. She will have all her permanent teeth by the time she is 8 at the rate she is going as you can see by her picture.

She is loosing her teeth in clusters. She is so grownup and such a big help to her Mom. Emily started her new school on Monday and it is right by the ocean. What a great experience for her.

This expresses Emily's desire to take karate this year. Watch out boys she can defend herself even more than in the past.

Bella is very, very independent. She can do anything an older person can do just ask her. We did puzzles and colored and played hopscotch indoors and empted boxes. She is really good at getting distracted and is very grownup too. Look how beautiful she is.

Look at that hair.

And look at one tired little kido. We all wish we could sleep like that.

Lexie is a beautiful, happy baby. She started taking steps the beginning of the week. By the end of the week she was getting braver and braver. She should be running all over by now. Tell us R&M??

I love R&M’s house. The rooms are big, with big closets, lots of storage, great views, hardwood floors, and a deck with an unparalleled view.

I almost missed my flight home. We were enjoying ourselves so much at lunch we lost track of time. Don’t call the airport for assistance. USAir doesn’t have a phone at the desk and they don’t wait for you. The Management Office I got when I called said ‘Do your best.’ ’ I was the last one on a full flight and they closed the door. There were 2 people waiting for my seat but there was no one at the desk to give my seat away. Lucky me! Thanks Ryan and Michelle for a fun time.

Jake’s Separation Anxiety

We had a busy week. Jake left on Sunday, Feb 1st. He was so funny. He knew his mommy was coming home after church. At 2 he put his shoes on without being told. At 3 he got his bag and put it next to him without being told. About 4 I said it’s time to go home and zoom he was out the door and in his carseat in the car waiting on me smiling uncontrollably. He got home, kissed his Mom and ran back and forth between the house and car laughing. That over Nana went home and went to bed.